The Gaelic Curse
by canis90
Summary: Harry is watched over by an old friend the summer after 5th year. He learns things previously thought to be only myth and folklore, and finds out he, with help, is able to cure... The Gaelic Curse. A/U after 5th year. H/Hr pairing w/ possible harem. Will have poll eventually to decide. Will earn M rating eventually.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other characters, places, creatures, etc. from the Harry Potter franchise. All recognizable names belong to their respective owners. I do not, nor ever will, make money from writing fan-fiction. **

Number 4, Privet Drive was as normal a house as a house can be. The home, however, was as abnormal a home as a home can be. The Dursley family consisted of Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley. Vernon had a perfectly normal occupation at a perfectly normal drilling company. Petunia was a perfectly normal housewife who had perfectly normal errands to run. Dudley was a perfectly normal teenage boy whose only main concern was what was for dinner. To the outside spectator, there was absolutely nothing abnormal whatsoever about Number 4, Privet Drive.

However, there was one other occupant of the house that many people forgot about. Fifteen year old Harry Potter was as opposite of the Dursley family as an individual can be. Harry Potter was a wizard. "A thumpin' good 'un" as someone once put it. But even by wizarding standards, Harry was abnormal, and had been since he was but fifteen months old. He survived a curse that none before him had ever survived. He was known throughout the wizarding world as the Boy-Who-Lived. His parents were murdered that fateful Halloween night, and the following day had found Harry on the front doorstep of his aunt and uncle's house. Since then, his life had been a living hell. He grew up without any friends; Dudley had made sure of that. He was forced to do all of the housework while his aunt doted on his very spoiled cousin. Most of that changed on Harry's eleventh birthday, in which he was told by his first real friend that he was a wizard and would be attending the most prestigious wizarding school in Europe. No longer would he be forced to live with the Dursley's day after day feeding off scraps that Dudley had miraculously missed. His first five years had been more adventurous than anyone could have foreseen. In fact, Harry was lucky to have lived to see his fifteenth birthday.

Currently, Harry was on his bed, fast asleep. For the past 72 hours, he had been grieving the loss of the only real family he had. His godfather, Sirius Black, had been killed in an epic battle between Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix. That night changed Harry. He became more distant to his friends. He had spent the remainder of the school year locked up in the Room of Requirement. The only social interaction he had was with a house-elf known as Dobby; and that was primarily so he wouldn't starve to death. On the train ride home, Harry had locked the compartment doors and pulled the privacy shade down. At the station, he had used his Invisibility Cloak to make his way back to the Muggle side of the station. His uncle nearly had a heart attack when Harry appeared before them out of thin air. Harry almost cracked a smile, but suppressed it.

After he had gotten back to the Dursley's, he quickly made his way up to his room and barricaded himself inside. Just like when he was at school, he had Dobby bring him food and drink. The first night back had been the worst. He was plagued by nightmares, reliving the scene of his godfather dying over and over again. He gave up trying to sleep after his third attempt, opting to lay on his bed staring at the ceiling. The tears had fallen, eventually. He had cried on and off the past three days. He had finally fallen into a dreamless sleep. Nothing woke him. His uncle came and went, trying and failing to open the door. The large man had even gone so far as to try and break down the door, but to no avail. Unbeknownst to Harry, Dobby had magically sealed his door, both from physical attempts to break it down and magical attempts to unlock or break it down.

And so Harry slept, not once dreaming of the death of Sirius. And Dobby kept watch, making sure Harry did not fall into more nightmares. Dobby knew he'd have to wake Harry eventually so he could eat and relieve himself. Fortunately, Dobby didn't have to worry. The following morning, Harry awoke, feeling more rested than he had all year. Putting on his glasses, he noticed the small creature keeping a silent watch over him. When Dobby noticed Harry had rejoined the world of the living, he scampered over to his best and only friend.

"I was so worried for you, Harry Potter. I was about to wake you up so you would not starve." Dobby's big, green eyes bore into Harry's emerald ones.

"Dobby? Since when have you been able to speak normally? I thought all house-elves didn't use pronouns?"

"I am not an ordinary house-elf, Harry Potter. But this is not the time for that discussion. You must have something to eat and drink. You have been asleep for the past day, Harry Potter. Wait here, I will go get you something." Dobby popped away without a sound, which also confused Harry. Within minutes, Dobby returned with a large silver platter bearing all of Harry's favorite foods.

"You must eat everything that is on this platter. You have been asleep for a full day and must regain your strength and magic. I will let you finish your dinner and then I will attempt to answer any questions you have." He gave a small bow before disappearing. Harry stood staring at the spot Dobby had just vacated. Shaking his head, he proceeded to start on the small feast his small friend had provided.

Thirty minutes later, Harry pushed the platter away, stuffed. He hadn't realized how hungry he had been until he took the first bite. As if sensing the teen had finished eating, Dobby materialized into the room.

"Now, Harry Potter. You must have a couple questions about me. I can not tell you everything right now, but I promise all of your questions will be answered eventually."

Harry nodded his understanding, trusting his little, green friend.

"How about we start with the question I asked you before I ate. Why don't you talk like you did before?"

"Because I am not like the other house-elves. I may look like the others, but that is the result of a curse that was placed on my kind centuries before. There are other 'house-elves' that are like me, but our numbers have been steadily dwindling. You see, Harry Potter, I am known by my own kind as Aiken Drum." Looking at Harry, Dobby failed to see recognition on his face. "You do not know what Aiken Drum are?" Harry shook his head. "Have you heard of Brounie's?" Another shake of Harry's head. "Aiken Drum, also known as Brounie, Brùnaid, Ùruisg, and Gruagach, are fairy-folk known for living in homes and cleaning them at night. Of course, to Muggles, we are only mythical creatures."

"So what's the difference between Aiken Drum and house-elves? It seems both do the same thing."

"For centuries, that has been true. Both species are known to clean houses. However, house-elves, or Kard-Edhel as my kind calls them, are bonded to one family for life, unless dismissed. Aiken Drum are not bonded to a family. Instead, we can, if we choose, bond to a single person for life. That bond is permanent. Once done, it is impossible to break the bond without both dying. It has not been done since the days of Merlin, who was the last wizard bonded with one of us."

"So what happens if the wizard dies? Does the Aiken Drum die as well?"

"Not right away, Harry Potter. When the wizard dies, we have just enough magic in us to finalize a burial. After all is said and done, we pass on and are buried with our bonded. It has only been done a few times throughout history, Harry Potter."

"Why hasn't another tried bonding with a wizard? I bet there are loads of wizards willing to bond with an Aiken Drum."

"Unknown to many, and lost in myth and folklore, Merlin was the father of Arthur, who eventually became King. Arthur was always jealous of his father's abilities, and spent most of his life secretly plotting to kill Merlin. However, his chance didn't come. Merlin passed on before Arthur could act. But he still wanted to hurt his father some way. During the burial performed by Merlin's bonded Aiken Drum, Arthur used a curse taught to him by Morgan La Fey on the Aiken Drum. That curse, which has been passed on since, causes our kind to look and act like Kard-Edhel. There is no known counter-curse." Harry sat, stunned at what he just heard. Of course, he knew what the wizarding world was like, at least in Britain. Run by power-hungry purebloods who refused to let go of the "old ways", it was really no surprise that Aiken Drum hadn't bonded with a wizard in centuries.

"That's a lot to take in, Dobby. But why are you telling me this? It's obvious that most, if not all, of the wizarding world doesn't know about your kind."

"Because, Harry Potter, you are able to free us from the curse. You are directly descended from Merlin, on your father's side. But it is late, Harry Potter. I must get back to Hogwarts. Before I leave, though, you must promise to not tell anyone you do not trust with your life anything I have told you."

"I promise. I have to tell someone, though. Wait, Dobby. I have more questions..." But Dobby had popped away, leaving Harry with a knowing wink and more questions than answers. "Shit. Well, I know at least one person I can trust with information of this sort. I just hope I don't get a howler in response."


End file.
